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Creative AI
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In recent years, AI has grown and developed to the point where people imagine a technological apocalypse occurring in the future. However, as scary as it may seem, developing AI to be creative and to problem-solve will be the next vital step to further advances in our lives and to make our lives easier. It can be the life-saver in a possible car accident by essentially making quick decisions. One thing is for sure, AI still isn't conscious to understand human emotions, interactions, and feelings and this is the main difference between humans and AI. For AI to advance, humans have to first calibrate it and teach it the foundations to build upon. As of now, it may not be able to do spectacular things that humans can, but it is a possibility to look forward to in the future.
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/for-ai-to-get-creative-it-must-learn-the-rules-mdash-then-how-to-break-lsquo-em/
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Gene Editing Implications
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The popular CRISPER-Cas9 process by which genes are edited may have bumped into an important issue in gene editing. A new study revealed that this method of gene editing can possibly induce an immune response, which was observed in the mice that were used to study it. This raises questions as to how this process may affect humans when gene editing takes place inside them. However, the CRISPER-Cas9 complex has provided useful ways to edit genes: CRISPER identifies a specific set of DNA code, and then the Cas9 (an enzyme) cuts the specified part of the DNA and cuts it off, essentially shutting down the gene and its expression on the body. Further research has already been made to identify and learn more about how this gene editing process can affect the body and how fast and strong its immune response is.
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/resistance-to-common-germs-poses-a-hurdle-to-new-gene-therapies/
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Bonobos and the Bad Guys
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We as humans are more inclined to communicate and interact with those that are nicer, forgiving, and supportive. But how do our close relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos, decide who to “hang out” with? Duke University anthropologists Christopher Krupenye and Brian Hare conducted a study that tested whether bonobos could distinguish between individuals based on their behaviors. A series of experiments tested whether bonobos would prefer the “good guys” or the “bad guys.” The results were surprising; it seemed that they preferred those who showed more dominant and selfish over those that were more reserved and inferior. However, this does provide an interesting insight on the bonobos' preference of dominance over altruism.
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bonobos-might-not-be-so-laid-back-after-all/
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Are You Getting Cryptojacked?
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In this era of technology, cryptocurrencies are becoming more and more popular. Websites and applications that are so-called “free” to use may now be “cryptojacking” users’ devices. This is an alternative way for these companies to make revenue without bombarding the site or application with advertisements or collecting data. This “cryptojacking” involves using a device to generate virtual currencies like Bitcoins. This crytpojacking involves “mining” for the currency through the process of solving complex equations and using a device’s energy to do so. However, although this may prevent a user to avoid seeing advertisements or having his data collected, “cryptojacking” can drain battery life. What’ll be the next new currency?
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-your-computer-secretly-mining-bitcoin-alternatives-a-guide-to-ldquo-cryptojacking-rdquo/
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Excited for Excitonium!
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Excitonium, a new form of matter, has been finally proven to exist after 50 years of research and experiments. It was first proposed by Harvard theoretical physicist Bert Halperin, who is now excited to hear the discovery, in the 1960s. However, the physicist responsible for the discovery is Peter Abbamonte, a physics professor at the University of Illinois, who worked with graduate students Anshul Kogar and Mindy Rak. What they discovered was a condensate, meaning that it was a solid, but it is made up of particles called excitons. These exciton particles are made up of an electron and the space that is left behind when it escapes, which in turn allows the space to act like a particle and attract the electron back. Now that excitonium has been discovered, there is much more research to be done to determine its properties, which may allow researchers to find applications for it.
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Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/physics-breakthrough-form-matter-excitonium-183206794.html
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Supermalaria: A new Super Villian
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***Edited for capitalization; Supermalaria: A New Super Villian
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Malaria has been one of the most infamous and harmful diseases that has affected people, and hopefully, it will be eradicated in the future. However, what scientists call a “supermalaria” parasite has been spreading across Southeast Asia and is resistant to artemisinin, a treatment for the disease.
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***Good!
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In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President’s Malaria initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut if Congress does pass it.
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***Edited for capitalization and clarity; In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut to the funding if Congress passes a proposed change to the program.
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Although this “supermalaria” may have developed, this should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate.
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***Edited for clarity; The development of this "supermalaria" should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate over time.
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It’s varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease.
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***Edited for comma use; It's varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment, as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease.
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If malaria and its future strains are to be eradicated, more research, finding, and a cumulative effort are required to help achieve this.
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***Good!
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Supermalaria: A new Super Villian
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Malaria has been one of the most infamous and harmful diseases that has affected people, and hopefully, it will be eradicated in the future. However, what scientists call a “supermalaria” parasite has been spreading across Southeast Asia and is resistant to artemisinin, a treatment for the disease. In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President’s Malaria initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut if Congress does pass it. Although this “supermalaria” may have developed, this should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate. It’s varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease. If malaria and its future strains are to be eradicated, more research, finding, and a cumulative effort are required to help achieve this.
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Supermalaria: A New Super Villian
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Malaria has been one of the most infamous and harmful diseases that has affected people, and hopefully, it will be eradicated in the future. However, what scientists call a “supermalaria” parasite has been spreading across Southeast Asia and is resistant to artemisinin, a treatment for the disease.  In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut to the funding if Congress passes a proposed change to the program. The development of this "supermalaria" should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate over time. It's varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment, as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease. If malaria and its future strains are to be eradicated, more research, finding, and a cumulative effort are required to help achieve this.
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***You did a great job with this! Work on how you phrase your sentences and make sure to pay attention to capitalization, but overall, nice work!
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Edited by Laurel Copes
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Source: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/supermalaria-is-on-the-way/
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To the Moon and Beyond!
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***Edited to be more specific; Proposed Space Outpost to Allow New Exploration
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NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans about a future project that will create an outpost that will succeed the current International Space Station.
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***Edited for vocabulary- changed "about" to "for" and "that" to "which"; NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans for a future project that will create an outpost which will succeed the current International Space Station.
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It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be planned and built in 2020s although no concrete fundings have been provided yet.
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***Edited for word choice and comma use; It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be built in the 2020s, although no concrete funding has been provided yet.
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However, there have been many proposed outlines and possible experiments that may take place in the new space station.
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***Good!
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Scientists nd researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars as well as further the development of science.
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***Edited for spelling and comma use; Scientists and researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars, as well as further the development of science.
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The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless from learning about Earth’s magnetic field to seeing how space affect a human’s physiology to planetary studies.
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***Edited for comma use and subject-verb agreement; The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless, from learning about Earth's magnetic field to seeing how space affects a human's physiology, to planetary studies. 
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Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station can easily retrieve rock samples as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us.
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***Edited for tense use and punctuation: Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station would be able to easily retrieve rock samples, as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us?
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NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans about a future project that will create an outpost that will succeed the current International Space Station. It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be planned and built in 2020s although no concrete fundings have been provided yet. However, there have been many proposed outlines and possible experiments that may take place in the new space station. Scientists nd researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars as well as further the development of science. The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless from learning about Earth’s magnetic field to seeing how space affect a human’s physiology to planetary studies. Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station can easily retrieve rock samples as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us.
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Proposed Space Outpost to Allow New Exploration
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NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans for a future project that will create an outpost which will succeed the current International Space Station. It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be built in the 2020s, although no concrete funding has been provided yet. However, there have been many proposed outlines and possible experiments that may take place in the new space station. Scientists and researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars, as well as further the development of science. The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless, from learning about Earth's magnetic field to seeing how space affects a human's physiology, to planetary studies.  Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station would be able to easily retrieve rock samples, as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us?
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***You need to work on using the right vocabulary and commas, but great job on structuring the paragraph as a whole!
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Edited by Laurel Copes
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientists-want-in-on-humanity-rsquo-s-next-big-space-station/
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Taking Control of Our Lives
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***You need to be as specific as possible in your headline so I added "what" is taking over our lives; Social Media is Taking Control of Our Lives
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Social media have recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, to use for the greater good of mankind.
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***Work on subject-verb agreement- social media is a singular noun; Social media has recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: necessary to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, and to use for the greater good of mankind.
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Although it seems we may know ourselves, in this day and age, it seems that the people around us know who we are, but machines that use data points and information about our personal lives know us best.
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***This sentence is a little confusing, I streamlined your point and cut down on the comma usage; Although we may think we know ourselves, or in this day and age that the people around us know who we are, it is actually machines that use data points and information about our personal lives that know us the best.
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So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment froma Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tells us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks.
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*** I like the question- that's a good rhetorical device. I spaced out "froma" and changed the subject-verb agreement in "brains...tells;" So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment from a Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tell us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks.
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These companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized this desire to fit in and to be respected by our peers because we are in a sense self-centered whether we like to be or not.
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***I think this is a good point, I just reworded it to make it flow a bit more naturally; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized that humans have this desire to fit in and be respected by our peers due to our self-centered natures.
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This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and outlook of ourselves.
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***I changed the last sentence because "outlook of ourselves" reads a bit awkwardly; This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and on how we view ourselves.
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Taking Control of Our Lives
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Social media have recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, to use for the greater good of mankind. Although it seems we may know ourselves, in this day and age, it seems that the people around us know who we are, but machines that use data points and information about our personal lives know us best. So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment froma Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tells us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks. These companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized this desire to fit in and to be respected by our peers because we are in a sense self-centered whether we like to be or not. This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and outlook of ourselves.
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Social Media is Taking Control of Our Lives
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Social media has recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: necessary to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, and to use for the greater good of mankind. Although we may think we know ourselves, or in this day and age that the people around us know who we are, it is actually machines that use data points and information about our personal lives that know us the best. So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment from a Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tell us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized that humans have this desire to fit in and be respected by our peers due to our self-centered natures. This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and on how we view ourselves.
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***You need to work on subject-verb agreement and word choice; otherwise, this was great! Good job!
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-social-networking-sites-controlling-your-mind/
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Edited by Laurel Copes
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Our Biological Clocks Helping Our Hearts
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***This title implies that our biological help our hearts in general, but since the paragraph focuses on open-heart surgery patients, I would include that in the title; Our Biological Clocks Help Open-Heart Surgery Patients
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Our bodies have internal clocks, which regulate the circadian rhythm that helps us to function properly, know when to sleep, eat certain foods, and behave in particular ways.
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***It might be helpful here to define "circadian rhythm" to give your readers a more specific understanding of what it means to have an internal clock.
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Recently, researchers have discovered that patients who had open-heart surgery in the afternoon were better off than those who had operations in the morning; they had half the risk of a major cardiac event than their morning counterparts.
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These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks in play with the time of the day play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities, but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments.
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***The use of "in play" is a bit confusing and redundant with the later use of "play;" also watch out for excess commas; These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks, along with the time of day, play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments.
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As for the reason behind the better outcomes, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as causing a person’s heart to heal quicker and refill it with blood, as well as tissue changes in the body.
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***This is great, but I think you could push your vocabulary a little bit here instead of repeating "causing" and "outcomes;" As for the reason behind the better results, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as a person's heart healing quicker and refilling it with blood, as well as tissue changing in the body.
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Now, scientists are attempting to test whether this gene expression can be controlled and activated no matter the time of day by manipulating a gene that appears a lot or less during the day.
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***Try and specify what you mean by "a lot or less during the day;" what does the frequency of the gene occurrence have to do with how they will manipulate it?
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Hopefully, developing such a process may help open-heart surgery patients.
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Our Biological Clocks Helping Our Hearts
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Our bodies have internal clocks, which regulate the circadian rhythm that helps us to function properly, know when to sleep, eat certain foods, and behave in particular ways. Recently, researchers have discovered that patients who had open-heart surgery in the afternoon were better off than those who had operations in the morning; they had half the risk of a major cardiac event than their morning counterparts. These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks in play with the time of the day play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities, but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments. As for the reason behind the better outcomes, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as causing a person’s heart to heal quicker and refill it with blood, as well as tissue changes in the body. Now, scientists are attempting to test whether this gene expression can be controlled and activated no matter the time of day by manipulating a gene that appears a lot or less during the day. Hopefully, developing such a process may help open-heart surgery patients.
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Our Biological Clocks Help Open-Heart Surgery Patients
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Our bodies have internal clocks, which regulate the circadian rhythm that helps us to function properly, know when to sleep, eat certain foods, and behave in particular ways. Recently, researchers have discovered that patients who had open-heart surgery in the afternoon were better off than those who had operations in the morning; they had half the risk of a major cardiac event than their morning counterparts. These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks, along with the time of day, play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments. As for the reason behind the better results, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as a person's heart healing quicker and refilling it with blood, as well as tissue changing in the body. Now, scientists are attempting to test whether this gene expression can be controlled and activated no matter the time of day by manipulating a gene that appears a lot or less during the day. Hopefully, developing such a process may help open-heart surgery patients.
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***Pay attention to comma use and try to vary your word choice in sentences where you have to use the same word more than once. Great job!
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Edited by Laurel Copes
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-heart-surgery-may-be-better-in-the-afternoon/
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Our Bodies in Space
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***I thought this piece was about aliens based on the title, so I’d be more specific; Bodies In Space
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Space travel not only allows scientists to see what’s floating in our little galaxy, but also allows them to see its unique effects on the body.
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NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about this topic by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin, Mark Kelly.
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***Avoid an ambiguous “it”; NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about it by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin brother a Mark Kelly.
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Scott Kelly and a fellow astronaut spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS), an unprecedented mission.
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Chris Mason, principal investigator of the Twins Study, said, “Some of the most exciting things that we've seen from looking at gene expression in space is that we really see an explosion, like fireworks taking off, as soon as the human body gets into space.”
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He and his team have discovered that processes done by methylation, an addition of methyl groups on DNA, increase, which may turn off genes expressed in the person.
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***Subject/verb agreement, avoid parentheses, commas; He and his team has discovered that methylation (addition of methyl groups on DNA) processes increase which may turn off genes expressed in the person.
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Scientists have already known that space travel causes changes on the body at a macro level, causing muscle atrophy and decreased bone density.
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***SUPER PROUD of you for punctuating the quote correctly. I edit for my college’s newspaper and half the writers there don’t know how to do that. Well done! On this piece, I would try to make the concluding sentence have a little more Oomph to it.
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Our Bodies in Space
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Space travel not only allows scientists to see what’s floating in our little galaxy, but also allows them to see its unique effects on the body. NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about this topic by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin, Mark Kelly. Scott Kelly and a fellow astronaut spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS), an unprecedented mission. Chris Mason, principal investigator of the Twins Study, said, “Some of the most exciting things that we've seen from looking at gene expression in space is that we really see an explosion, like fireworks taking off, as soon as the human body gets into space.” He and his team have discovered that processes done by methylation, an addition of methyl groups on DNA, increase, which may turn off genes expressed in the person. Scientists have already known that space travel causes changes on the body at a macro level, causing muscle atrophy and decreased bone density.
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Bodies In Space
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Space travel not only allows scientists to see what’s floating in our little galaxy, but also allows them to see its unique effects on the body. NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about it by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin brother a Mark Kelly. Scott Kelly and a fellow astronaut spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS), an unprecedented mission. Chris Mason, principal investigator of the Twins Study, said, “Some of the most exciting things that we've seen from looking at gene expression in space is that we really see an explosion, like fireworks taking off, as soon as the human body gets into space.” He and his team has discovered that methylation (addition of methyl groups on DNA) processes increase which may turn off genes expressed in the person. Scientists have already known that space travel causes changes on the body at a macro level, causing muscle atrophy and decreased bone density.
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-ldquo-twins-study-rdquo-shows-how-spaceflight-changes-gene-expression
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A Peculiar Phenomenon with Light
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***I would get rid of this sentence because you repeat this exact information in the third sentence; Light is a common yet peculiar thing in the universe because of the way it acts: as a wave or as a particle.
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Quantum physics is a study that helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another, and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light.
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***Make this your opening sentence; Quantum physics helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light.
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A weird phenomenon with light is their particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle, and that it “chooses” how it behaves.
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***they’re/there/their, the end of this sentence is really ambiguous; A weird phenomenon with light is there particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle and that it “chooses” to be what it is.
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The particle-wave duality has been confirmed with the double-slit experience: when one slit is open and light passed through, light appears as a block; when two slits are open and light passed through, light scatters and appears as a gradient of light.
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***be specific, some of this is confusing; This has been confirmed with the double-slit experiment: when one slit is open and light passes through, light appears as a block; when two slots are open and light passes through, light scatters through and appears to interfere with one another and appears as a gradient of light.
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There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions, and as a wave in others.
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***Comma; There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions and as a wave in other conditions.
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Scientists are now examining light as it travels through space to see how it behaves. They’re doing this by sending a laser beam to various satellites in space, which then return to Earth.
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***Split this into two sentences, “return back” is redundant; Scientists are now examining light travelling through space and seeing how it behaves by sending a laser beam to satellites in space which then return back to earth.
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A Peculiar Phenomenon with Light
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Quantum physics is a study that helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another, and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light. A weird phenomenon with light is their particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle, and that it “chooses” how it behaves. The particle-wave duality has been confirmed with the double-slit experience: when one slit is open and light passed through, light appears as a block; when two slits are open and light passed through, light scatters and appears as a gradient of light. There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions, and as a wave in others. Scientists are now examining light as it travels through space to see how it behaves. They’re doing this by sending a laser beam to various satellites in space, which then return to Earth.
 +
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A Peculiar Phenomenon with Light
 +
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Light is a common yet peculiar thing in the universe because of the way it acts: as a wave or as a particle. Quantum physics helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light. A weird phenomenon with light is there particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle and that it “chooses” to be what it is. This has been confirmed with the double-slit experiment: when one slit is open and light passes through, light appears as a block; when two slots are open and light passes through, light scatters through and appears to interfere with one another and appears as a gradient of light. There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions and as a wave in other conditions. Scientists are now examining light travelling through space and seeing how it behaves by sending a laser beam to satellites in space which then return back to earth.
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Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/space-based-test-proves-lights-quantum-weirdness/
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***LOVE the title
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It’s Time to Go!
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A new version of the revolutionary computer program AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go.
 +
 +
***Try to define exactly what the subject is in the opening sentence, so the reader doesn’t feel confused; The revolutionary AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go.
 +
AlphaGo Zero is now the dominant player after defeating its predecessor in all 100 games played.
 +
 +
Unlike its original version of the program, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play, and it no longer needs to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game.
 +
 +
***Specify: original what?, avoid passive voice (-ing) as much as you can; Unlike the original, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play instead of having to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game.
 +
 +
While it trained, AlphaGo Zero learned about Go from scratch; it learned to play against itself and anticipate the next move by applying what it learned in previous games.
 +
 +
***Avoid more passive voice; Its training was to play against itself and learn about Go from scratch, anticipating the next moves and ultimately applying what it learned in previous games.
 +
 +
One intriguing thing about AlphaGo Zero is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen, such as a new series of corner sequence, known as “joseki.”
 +
 +
***The beginning of the sentence has too casual language, don’t forget about commas, try to avoid putting things in parentheses; what’s intriguing is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen such as a new series of joseki (corner sequence).
 +
 +
This has led to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step closer to it.
 +
 +
***Spelling, “further into it” sounds odd; This has lead to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step further into it.
 +
 +
 +
It’s Time to Go!
 +
 +
A new version of the revolutionary computer program AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go. AlphaGo Zero is now the dominant player after defeating its predecessor in all 100 games played. Unlike its original version of the program, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play, and it no longer needs to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game. While it trained, AlphaGo Zero learned about Go from scratch; it learned to play against itself and anticipate the next move by applying what it learned in previous games. One intriguing thing about AlphaGo Zero is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen, such as a new series of corner sequence, known as “joseki.” This has led to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step closer to it.
 +
 +
 +
It’s Time to Go!
 +
 +
The revolutionary AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go. AlphaGo Zero is now the dominant player after defeating its predecessor in all 100 games played. Unlike the original, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play instead of having to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game. Its training was to play against itself and learn about Go from scratch, anticipating the next moves and ultimately applying what it learned in previous games. what’s intriguing is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen such as a new series of joseki (corner sequence). This has lead to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step further into it.
 +
 +
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-versus-ai-self-taught-alphago-zero-vanquishes-its-predecessor/
  
  
 
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 +
 +
 
The Mystery of Left-Coiled Snails
 
The Mystery of Left-Coiled Snails
  

Revision as of 04:58, 22 May 2018

Creative AI


In recent years, AI has grown and developed to the point where people imagine a technological apocalypse occurring in the future. However, as scary as it may seem, developing AI to be creative and to problem-solve will be the next vital step to further advances in our lives and to make our lives easier. It can be the life-saver in a possible car accident by essentially making quick decisions. One thing is for sure, AI still isn't conscious to understand human emotions, interactions, and feelings and this is the main difference between humans and AI. For AI to advance, humans have to first calibrate it and teach it the foundations to build upon. As of now, it may not be able to do spectacular things that humans can, but it is a possibility to look forward to in the future.


Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/for-ai-to-get-creative-it-must-learn-the-rules-mdash-then-how-to-break-lsquo-em/




Gene Editing Implications


The popular CRISPER-Cas9 process by which genes are edited may have bumped into an important issue in gene editing. A new study revealed that this method of gene editing can possibly induce an immune response, which was observed in the mice that were used to study it. This raises questions as to how this process may affect humans when gene editing takes place inside them. However, the CRISPER-Cas9 complex has provided useful ways to edit genes: CRISPER identifies a specific set of DNA code, and then the Cas9 (an enzyme) cuts the specified part of the DNA and cuts it off, essentially shutting down the gene and its expression on the body. Further research has already been made to identify and learn more about how this gene editing process can affect the body and how fast and strong its immune response is.


Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/resistance-to-common-germs-poses-a-hurdle-to-new-gene-therapies/




Bonobos and the Bad Guys


We as humans are more inclined to communicate and interact with those that are nicer, forgiving, and supportive. But how do our close relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos, decide who to “hang out” with? Duke University anthropologists Christopher Krupenye and Brian Hare conducted a study that tested whether bonobos could distinguish between individuals based on their behaviors. A series of experiments tested whether bonobos would prefer the “good guys” or the “bad guys.” The results were surprising; it seemed that they preferred those who showed more dominant and selfish over those that were more reserved and inferior. However, this does provide an interesting insight on the bonobos' preference of dominance over altruism.


Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bonobos-might-not-be-so-laid-back-after-all/




Are You Getting Cryptojacked?


In this era of technology, cryptocurrencies are becoming more and more popular. Websites and applications that are so-called “free” to use may now be “cryptojacking” users’ devices. This is an alternative way for these companies to make revenue without bombarding the site or application with advertisements or collecting data. This “cryptojacking” involves using a device to generate virtual currencies like Bitcoins. This crytpojacking involves “mining” for the currency through the process of solving complex equations and using a device’s energy to do so. However, although this may prevent a user to avoid seeing advertisements or having his data collected, “cryptojacking” can drain battery life. What’ll be the next new currency?


Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-your-computer-secretly-mining-bitcoin-alternatives-a-guide-to-ldquo-cryptojacking-rdquo/




Excited for Excitonium!


Excitonium, a new form of matter, has been finally proven to exist after 50 years of research and experiments. It was first proposed by Harvard theoretical physicist Bert Halperin, who is now excited to hear the discovery, in the 1960s. However, the physicist responsible for the discovery is Peter Abbamonte, a physics professor at the University of Illinois, who worked with graduate students Anshul Kogar and Mindy Rak. What they discovered was a condensate, meaning that it was a solid, but it is made up of particles called excitons. These exciton particles are made up of an electron and the space that is left behind when it escapes, which in turn allows the space to act like a particle and attract the electron back. Now that excitonium has been discovered, there is much more research to be done to determine its properties, which may allow researchers to find applications for it.


Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/physics-breakthrough-form-matter-excitonium-183206794.html




Supermalaria: A new Super Villian

      • Edited for capitalization; Supermalaria: A New Super Villian

Malaria has been one of the most infamous and harmful diseases that has affected people, and hopefully, it will be eradicated in the future. However, what scientists call a “supermalaria” parasite has been spreading across Southeast Asia and is resistant to artemisinin, a treatment for the disease.

      • Good!

In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President’s Malaria initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut if Congress does pass it.

      • Edited for capitalization and clarity; In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut to the funding if Congress passes a proposed change to the program.

Although this “supermalaria” may have developed, this should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate.

      • Edited for clarity; The development of this "supermalaria" should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate over time.

It’s varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease.

      • Edited for comma use; It's varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment, as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease.

If malaria and its future strains are to be eradicated, more research, finding, and a cumulative effort are required to help achieve this.

      • Good!

Supermalaria: A new Super Villian

Malaria has been one of the most infamous and harmful diseases that has affected people, and hopefully, it will be eradicated in the future. However, what scientists call a “supermalaria” parasite has been spreading across Southeast Asia and is resistant to artemisinin, a treatment for the disease. In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President’s Malaria initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut if Congress does pass it. Although this “supermalaria” may have developed, this should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate. It’s varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease. If malaria and its future strains are to be eradicated, more research, finding, and a cumulative effort are required to help achieve this.

Supermalaria: A New Super Villian

Malaria has been one of the most infamous and harmful diseases that has affected people, and hopefully, it will be eradicated in the future. However, what scientists call a “supermalaria” parasite has been spreading across Southeast Asia and is resistant to artemisinin, a treatment for the disease. In recent years, death by malaria has been falling with help from the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) funding, but there may be a 44 percent cut to the funding if Congress passes a proposed change to the program. The development of this "supermalaria" should not be a surprise due to the fact that diseases do change and mutate over time. It's varying form will always force scientists and researchers to find a new treatment, as well as help communities protect themselves from this disease. If malaria and its future strains are to be eradicated, more research, finding, and a cumulative effort are required to help achieve this.

      • You did a great job with this! Work on how you phrase your sentences and make sure to pay attention to capitalization, but overall, nice work!

Edited by Laurel Copes

Source: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/supermalaria-is-on-the-way/




To the Moon and Beyond!

      • Edited to be more specific; Proposed Space Outpost to Allow New Exploration

NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans about a future project that will create an outpost that will succeed the current International Space Station.

      • Edited for vocabulary- changed "about" to "for" and "that" to "which"; NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans for a future project that will create an outpost which will succeed the current International Space Station.

It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be planned and built in 2020s although no concrete fundings have been provided yet.

      • Edited for word choice and comma use; It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be built in the 2020s, although no concrete funding has been provided yet.

However, there have been many proposed outlines and possible experiments that may take place in the new space station.

      • Good!

Scientists nd researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars as well as further the development of science.

      • Edited for spelling and comma use; Scientists and researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars, as well as further the development of science.

The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless from learning about Earth’s magnetic field to seeing how space affect a human’s physiology to planetary studies.

      • Edited for comma use and subject-verb agreement; The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless, from learning about Earth's magnetic field to seeing how space affects a human's physiology, to planetary studies.

Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station can easily retrieve rock samples as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us.

      • Edited for tense use and punctuation: Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station would be able to easily retrieve rock samples, as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us?


NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans about a future project that will create an outpost that will succeed the current International Space Station. It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be planned and built in 2020s although no concrete fundings have been provided yet. However, there have been many proposed outlines and possible experiments that may take place in the new space station. Scientists nd researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars as well as further the development of science. The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless from learning about Earth’s magnetic field to seeing how space affect a human’s physiology to planetary studies. Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station can easily retrieve rock samples as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us.

Proposed Space Outpost to Allow New Exploration

NASA and the ESA are holding conferences to discuss plans for a future project that will create an outpost which will succeed the current International Space Station. It will be called the Deep Space Gateway and is planned to be built in the 2020s, although no concrete funding has been provided yet. However, there have been many proposed outlines and possible experiments that may take place in the new space station. Scientists and researchers are working on a plan to allow the satellite to orbit the moon and hope to use it to help future explorations to Mars, as well as further the development of science. The array of experiments that could be carried out seem endless, from learning about Earth's magnetic field to seeing how space affects a human's physiology, to planetary studies. Overall, one profound impact would be the easy-access of the Moon; scientists on the space station would be able to easily retrieve rock samples, as well as learn more about the known water sources found on the Moon. Who knows what lies ahead of us?

      • You need to work on using the right vocabulary and commas, but great job on structuring the paragraph as a whole!


Edited by Laurel Copes

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientists-want-in-on-humanity-rsquo-s-next-big-space-station/




Taking Control of Our Lives

      • You need to be as specific as possible in your headline so I added "what" is taking over our lives; Social Media is Taking Control of Our Lives

Social media have recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, to use for the greater good of mankind.

      • Work on subject-verb agreement- social media is a singular noun; Social media has recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: necessary to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, and to use for the greater good of mankind.

Although it seems we may know ourselves, in this day and age, it seems that the people around us know who we are, but machines that use data points and information about our personal lives know us best.

      • This sentence is a little confusing, I streamlined your point and cut down on the comma usage; Although we may think we know ourselves, or in this day and age that the people around us know who we are, it is actually machines that use data points and information about our personal lives that know us the best.

So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment froma Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tells us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks.

      • I like the question- that's a good rhetorical device. I spaced out "froma" and changed the subject-verb agreement in "brains...tells;" So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment from a Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tell us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks.

These companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized this desire to fit in and to be respected by our peers because we are in a sense self-centered whether we like to be or not.

      • I think this is a good point, I just reworded it to make it flow a bit more naturally; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized that humans have this desire to fit in and be respected by our peers due to our self-centered natures.

This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and outlook of ourselves.

      • I changed the last sentence because "outlook of ourselves" reads a bit awkwardly; This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and on how we view ourselves.


Taking Control of Our Lives


Social media have recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, to use for the greater good of mankind. Although it seems we may know ourselves, in this day and age, it seems that the people around us know who we are, but machines that use data points and information about our personal lives know us best. So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment froma Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tells us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks. These companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized this desire to fit in and to be respected by our peers because we are in a sense self-centered whether we like to be or not. This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and outlook of ourselves.


Social Media is Taking Control of Our Lives


Social media has recently become a seemingly essential part of our lives: necessary to communicate, to gather and plan events, to look for the next headline, to promote businesses, and to use for the greater good of mankind. Although we may think we know ourselves, or in this day and age that the people around us know who we are, it is actually machines that use data points and information about our personal lives that know us the best. So what are the causes? Humans have vulnerabilities such as a desire to have a high social status. This is why when we receive a like or a comment from a Facebook post, our brains unconsciously tell us that this is a reward, causing us to be addicted and even be controlled by social networks. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram realized that humans have this desire to fit in and be respected by our peers due to our self-centered natures. This is why we notice our names being called even when we are situated in a noisy environment. But if we truly want to understand ourselves and not be manipulated by social networks, we have to be self-conscious about the effects they have on our lives and on how we view ourselves.


      • You need to work on subject-verb agreement and word choice; otherwise, this was great! Good job!

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-social-networking-sites-controlling-your-mind/

Edited by Laurel Copes




Our Biological Clocks Helping Our Hearts

      • This title implies that our biological help our hearts in general, but since the paragraph focuses on open-heart surgery patients, I would include that in the title; Our Biological Clocks Help Open-Heart Surgery Patients

Our bodies have internal clocks, which regulate the circadian rhythm that helps us to function properly, know when to sleep, eat certain foods, and behave in particular ways.

      • It might be helpful here to define "circadian rhythm" to give your readers a more specific understanding of what it means to have an internal clock.

Recently, researchers have discovered that patients who had open-heart surgery in the afternoon were better off than those who had operations in the morning; they had half the risk of a major cardiac event than their morning counterparts.

These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks in play with the time of the day play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities, but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments.

      • The use of "in play" is a bit confusing and redundant with the later use of "play;" also watch out for excess commas; These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks, along with the time of day, play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments.

As for the reason behind the better outcomes, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as causing a person’s heart to heal quicker and refill it with blood, as well as tissue changes in the body.

      • This is great, but I think you could push your vocabulary a little bit here instead of repeating "causing" and "outcomes;" As for the reason behind the better results, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as a person's heart healing quicker and refilling it with blood, as well as tissue changing in the body.

Now, scientists are attempting to test whether this gene expression can be controlled and activated no matter the time of day by manipulating a gene that appears a lot or less during the day.

      • Try and specify what you mean by "a lot or less during the day;" what does the frequency of the gene occurrence have to do with how they will manipulate it?

Hopefully, developing such a process may help open-heart surgery patients.


Our Biological Clocks Helping Our Hearts

Our bodies have internal clocks, which regulate the circadian rhythm that helps us to function properly, know when to sleep, eat certain foods, and behave in particular ways. Recently, researchers have discovered that patients who had open-heart surgery in the afternoon were better off than those who had operations in the morning; they had half the risk of a major cardiac event than their morning counterparts. These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks in play with the time of the day play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities, but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments. As for the reason behind the better outcomes, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as causing a person’s heart to heal quicker and refill it with blood, as well as tissue changes in the body. Now, scientists are attempting to test whether this gene expression can be controlled and activated no matter the time of day by manipulating a gene that appears a lot or less during the day. Hopefully, developing such a process may help open-heart surgery patients.

Our Biological Clocks Help Open-Heart Surgery Patients

Our bodies have internal clocks, which regulate the circadian rhythm that helps us to function properly, know when to sleep, eat certain foods, and behave in particular ways. Recently, researchers have discovered that patients who had open-heart surgery in the afternoon were better off than those who had operations in the morning; they had half the risk of a major cardiac event than their morning counterparts. These findings have been the latest supporting evidence that our biological clocks, along with the time of day, play an important role not only in our daily lives and activities but also in the effectiveness of various medical treatments. As for the reason behind the better results, gene expression varies throughout the day, causing different outcomes, such as a person's heart healing quicker and refilling it with blood, as well as tissue changing in the body. Now, scientists are attempting to test whether this gene expression can be controlled and activated no matter the time of day by manipulating a gene that appears a lot or less during the day. Hopefully, developing such a process may help open-heart surgery patients.


      • Pay attention to comma use and try to vary your word choice in sentences where you have to use the same word more than once. Great job!


Edited by Laurel Copes


Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-heart-surgery-may-be-better-in-the-afternoon/




Our Bodies in Space

      • I thought this piece was about aliens based on the title, so I’d be more specific; Bodies In Space

Space travel not only allows scientists to see what’s floating in our little galaxy, but also allows them to see its unique effects on the body.

NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about this topic by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin, Mark Kelly.

      • Avoid an ambiguous “it”; NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about it by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin brother a Mark Kelly.

Scott Kelly and a fellow astronaut spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS), an unprecedented mission.

Chris Mason, principal investigator of the Twins Study, said, “Some of the most exciting things that we've seen from looking at gene expression in space is that we really see an explosion, like fireworks taking off, as soon as the human body gets into space.”

He and his team have discovered that processes done by methylation, an addition of methyl groups on DNA, increase, which may turn off genes expressed in the person.

      • Subject/verb agreement, avoid parentheses, commas; He and his team has discovered that methylation (addition of methyl groups on DNA) processes increase which may turn off genes expressed in the person.

Scientists have already known that space travel causes changes on the body at a macro level, causing muscle atrophy and decreased bone density.

      • SUPER PROUD of you for punctuating the quote correctly. I edit for my college’s newspaper and half the writers there don’t know how to do that. Well done! On this piece, I would try to make the concluding sentence have a little more Oomph to it.


Our Bodies in Space

Space travel not only allows scientists to see what’s floating in our little galaxy, but also allows them to see its unique effects on the body. NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about this topic by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin, Mark Kelly. Scott Kelly and a fellow astronaut spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS), an unprecedented mission. Chris Mason, principal investigator of the Twins Study, said, “Some of the most exciting things that we've seen from looking at gene expression in space is that we really see an explosion, like fireworks taking off, as soon as the human body gets into space.” He and his team have discovered that processes done by methylation, an addition of methyl groups on DNA, increase, which may turn off genes expressed in the person. Scientists have already known that space travel causes changes on the body at a macro level, causing muscle atrophy and decreased bone density.


Bodies In Space

Space travel not only allows scientists to see what’s floating in our little galaxy, but also allows them to see its unique effects on the body. NASA’s “Twins Study” has revealed much about it by studying astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin brother a Mark Kelly. Scott Kelly and a fellow astronaut spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS), an unprecedented mission. Chris Mason, principal investigator of the Twins Study, said, “Some of the most exciting things that we've seen from looking at gene expression in space is that we really see an explosion, like fireworks taking off, as soon as the human body gets into space.” He and his team has discovered that methylation (addition of methyl groups on DNA) processes increase which may turn off genes expressed in the person. Scientists have already known that space travel causes changes on the body at a macro level, causing muscle atrophy and decreased bone density.

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-ldquo-twins-study-rdquo-shows-how-spaceflight-changes-gene-expression



A Peculiar Phenomenon with Light

      • I would get rid of this sentence because you repeat this exact information in the third sentence; Light is a common yet peculiar thing in the universe because of the way it acts: as a wave or as a particle.

Quantum physics is a study that helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another, and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light.

      • Make this your opening sentence; Quantum physics helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light.

A weird phenomenon with light is their particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle, and that it “chooses” how it behaves.

      • they’re/there/their, the end of this sentence is really ambiguous; A weird phenomenon with light is there particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle and that it “chooses” to be what it is.

The particle-wave duality has been confirmed with the double-slit experience: when one slit is open and light passed through, light appears as a block; when two slits are open and light passed through, light scatters and appears as a gradient of light.

      • be specific, some of this is confusing; This has been confirmed with the double-slit experiment: when one slit is open and light passes through, light appears as a block; when two slots are open and light passes through, light scatters through and appears to interfere with one another and appears as a gradient of light.

There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions, and as a wave in others.

      • Comma; There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions and as a wave in other conditions.

Scientists are now examining light as it travels through space to see how it behaves. They’re doing this by sending a laser beam to various satellites in space, which then return to Earth.

      • Split this into two sentences, “return back” is redundant; Scientists are now examining light travelling through space and seeing how it behaves by sending a laser beam to satellites in space which then return back to earth.

A Peculiar Phenomenon with Light

Quantum physics is a study that helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another, and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light. A weird phenomenon with light is their particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle, and that it “chooses” how it behaves. The particle-wave duality has been confirmed with the double-slit experience: when one slit is open and light passed through, light appears as a block; when two slits are open and light passed through, light scatters and appears as a gradient of light. There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions, and as a wave in others. Scientists are now examining light as it travels through space to see how it behaves. They’re doing this by sending a laser beam to various satellites in space, which then return to Earth.

A Peculiar Phenomenon with Light

Light is a common yet peculiar thing in the universe because of the way it acts: as a wave or as a particle. Quantum physics helps scientists understand the way particles interact with one another and with the universe, which leads them to solving their curious interests with light. A weird phenomenon with light is there particle-wave duality, which explains light as behaving as both a wave and a particle and that it “chooses” to be what it is. This has been confirmed with the double-slit experiment: when one slit is open and light passes through, light appears as a block; when two slots are open and light passes through, light scatters through and appears to interfere with one another and appears as a gradient of light. There are also delayed experiments where light acts as a particle under certain conditions and as a wave in other conditions. Scientists are now examining light travelling through space and seeing how it behaves by sending a laser beam to satellites in space which then return back to earth.

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/space-based-test-proves-lights-quantum-weirdness/



      • LOVE the title

It’s Time to Go!

A new version of the revolutionary computer program AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go.

      • Try to define exactly what the subject is in the opening sentence, so the reader doesn’t feel confused; The revolutionary AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go.

AlphaGo Zero is now the dominant player after defeating its predecessor in all 100 games played.

Unlike its original version of the program, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play, and it no longer needs to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game.

      • Specify: original what?, avoid passive voice (-ing) as much as you can; Unlike the original, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play instead of having to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game.

While it trained, AlphaGo Zero learned about Go from scratch; it learned to play against itself and anticipate the next move by applying what it learned in previous games.

      • Avoid more passive voice; Its training was to play against itself and learn about Go from scratch, anticipating the next moves and ultimately applying what it learned in previous games.

One intriguing thing about AlphaGo Zero is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen, such as a new series of corner sequence, known as “joseki.”

      • The beginning of the sentence has too casual language, don’t forget about commas, try to avoid putting things in parentheses; what’s intriguing is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen such as a new series of joseki (corner sequence).

This has led to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step closer to it.

      • Spelling, “further into it” sounds odd; This has lead to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step further into it.


It’s Time to Go!

A new version of the revolutionary computer program AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go. AlphaGo Zero is now the dominant player after defeating its predecessor in all 100 games played. Unlike its original version of the program, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play, and it no longer needs to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game. While it trained, AlphaGo Zero learned about Go from scratch; it learned to play against itself and anticipate the next move by applying what it learned in previous games. One intriguing thing about AlphaGo Zero is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen, such as a new series of corner sequence, known as “joseki.” This has led to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step closer to it.


It’s Time to Go!

The revolutionary AlphaGo, created by DeepMind Technologies, has now been declared second best at an ancient Chinese board game called Go. AlphaGo Zero is now the dominant player after defeating its predecessor in all 100 games played. Unlike the original, AlphaGo Zero’s algorithm has taught itself how to play instead of having to be monitored and given human knowledge on the game. Its training was to play against itself and learn about Go from scratch, anticipating the next moves and ultimately applying what it learned in previous games. what’s intriguing is that it developed and used unconventional strategies that were rare and never before seen such as a new series of joseki (corner sequence). This has lead to the hope of developing AI that can think for itself, and AlphaGo Zero is one step further into it.

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-versus-ai-self-taught-alphago-zero-vanquishes-its-predecessor/




The Mystery of Left-Coiled Snails

Jeremy the Lefty Snail has passed away, but his genetic information is still alive.

Jeremy became famous for his shell that had coiled left instead of right, a rare occurrence in snails.

Dr. Davison discovered him and wanted to know if the cause of the left-coiled she was due to genetics or an accident.

      • Passive voice slows the reader down; Dr. Davison had discovered him and wanted to know if the cause of the left-coiled shell was due to genetics or was an accident.

This would be answered through observing his offspring, but consequently, his organs also had turned counterclockwise, which made it hard to mate with right-coiled snails.

Fortunately, left-coiled snails were found through the help of social media, and they were sent to Dr. Davison, who hoped to have Jeremy produce offspring, but, after the offspring was produced, it was observed that they all had right-coiled shells.

      • Combine these sentences to make it a 6 sentence paragraph; Fortunately, left-coiled snails were found through the help of social media and they were sent to Dr. Davison who hoped to have Jeremy produce offspring.
      • Combine these sentences to make it a 6 sentence paragraph; After the offspring was produced, it was observed that they all had right-coiled shells.

Shortly after, Jeremy passed away, but his genes have been passed on and his shell has been preserved in the University of Nottingham.

      • Subject/Verb consistency; Shortly after, Jeremy passed away, but his genes have been passed on and his shells has been preserved in the University of Nottingham.

The Mystery of Left-Coiled Snails

Jeremy the Lefty Snail has passed away, but his genetic information is still alive. Jeremy became famous for his shell that had coiled left instead of right, a rare occurrence in snails. Dr. Davison discovered him and wanted to know if the cause of the left-coiled shell was due to genetics or was an accident. This would be answered through observing his offspring, but consequently, his organs also had turned counterclockwise, which made it hard to mate with right-coiled snails. Fortunately, left-coiled snails were found through the help of social media, and they were sent to Dr. Davison, who hoped to have Jeremy produce offspring, but, after the offspring was produced, it was observed that they all had right-coiled shells. Shortly after, Jeremy passed away, but his genes have been passed on and his shell has been preserved in the University of Nottingham.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/science/jeremy-lefty-snail.html

The Mystery of Left-Coiled Snails

Jeremy the Lefty Snail has passed away, but his genetic information is still alive. Jeremy became famous for his shell that had coiled left instead of right, a rare occurrence in snails. Dr. Davison had discovered him and wanted to know if the cause of the left-coiled shell was due to genetics or was an accident. This would be answered through observing his offspring, but consequently, his organs also had turned counterclockwise, which made it hard to mate with right-coiled snails. Fortunately, left-coiled snails were found through the help of social media and they were sent to Dr. Davison who hoped to have Jeremy produce offspring. After the offspring was produced, it was observed that they all had right-coiled shells. Shortly after, Jeremy passed away, but his genes have been passed on and his shells has been preserved in the University of Nottingham.




Illuminating the Deep Seas

Bioluminescence seems to be science fiction – how could an animal, like an octopus or a jellyfish, produce light out of its own body?

      • Don’t use parentheses and don’t say “etc,” just end the list when you run out of things to put in it; Bioluminescence seems to be science fiction – how could an animal (octopuses, jellyfish, sea creatures, etc) produce light out of its own body?

Scientists do know that sea creatures use this trait to “lure, intimidate, stun, mislead and find mates,” and have found out recently that around 76% of the creatures observed make their own light.

      • Since we’re more specifically talking about the deep sea, say “sea creatures” instead of animals, “make” = present tense because they still make their own light; Scientists do know that animals use this trait to “lure, intimidate, stun, mislead and find mates,” and have found out recently that around 76% of the sea creatures observed made their own light.

This new finding shows that bioluminescence is much more common than what people had thought before, although it is rare for terrestrial creatures to use it, except for a few, such as fireflies, beetles, millipedes, and worms.

      • Punctuation; This new finding shows that bioluminescence is much more common than what people had thought before, although it is rare for terrestrial creatures to use it except for a few such as: fireflies, beetles, millipedes, and worms.

Bioluminescence is not new and can be traced back before the age of dinosaurs; it is still observable in primitive creatures today.

Of course, this finding could not have been made without advanced cameras and technology that “has begun to rival that of the human eye and will eventually surpass it,” according to Dr. Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California.

      • ”have been” because it’s already been made – also, I don’t understand the relevance of this sentence, since it kind of goes off-topic from the fact that sea creatures can be bioluminescent; Of course, this finding could not be made without advanced cameras and technology “has begun to rival that of the human eye and will eventually surpass it,” according to Dr. Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California.

The next time a shimmer appears in the water, it could possibly be a sea creature making use of its unique light-making ability.

Illuminating the Deep Seas

Bioluminescence seems to be science fiction – how could an animal, like an octopus or a jellyfish, produce light out of its own body? Scientists do know that sea creatures use this trait to “lure, intimidate, stun, mislead and find mates,” and have found out recently that around 76% of the creatures observed make their own light. This new finding shows that bioluminescence is much more common than what people had thought before, although it is rare for terrestrial creatures to use it, except for a few, such as fireflies, beetles, millipedes, and worms. Bioluminescence is not new and can be traced back before the age of dinosaurs; it is still observable in primitive creatures today. Of course, this finding could not have been made without advanced cameras and technology that “has begun to rival that of the human eye and will eventually surpass it,” according to Dr. Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California. The next time a shimmer appears in the water, it could possibly be a sea creature making use of its unique light-making ability.


Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/21/science/the-deep-seas-are-alive-with-light.html

Illuminating the Deep Seas

Bioluminescence seems to be science fiction – how could an animal (octopuses, jellyfish, sea creatures, etc) produce light out of its own body? Scientists do know that animals use this trait to “lure, intimidate, stun, mislead and find mates,” and have found out recently that around 76% of the sea creatures observed made their own light. This new finding shows that bioluminescence is much more common than what people had thought before, although it is rare for terrestrial creatures to use it except for a few such as: fireflies, beetles, millipedes, and worms. Bioluminescence is not new and can be traced back before the age of dinosaurs; it is still observable in primitive creatures today. Of course, this finding could not be made without advanced cameras and technology “has begun to rival that of the human eye and will eventually surpass it,” according to Dr. Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California. The next time a shimmer appears in the water, it could possibly be a sea creature making use of its unique light-making ability.




Corridors in the Forest

Ecologist Thomas Lovejoy conducted an experiment in the 1980s where he asked loggers, who were cutting down trees in the Brazil’s Amazon rain forest, to leave small islands of forests to observe how animals situated in them to see how they would survive.

Unfortunately, even the largest “forest island” of 250 acres had the number of bird species decline by half the population in 15 years, meaning that other animals in smaller areas would die off due to lack of population and disease.

      • ”in half in 15 years” sounded a bit awkward; Unfortunately, even the largest “forest island” of 250 acres had the number of bird species decline in half in 15 years, meaning that other animals in smaller areas would die off due to lack of population and disease.

Recently, however, there is a possible plan to slow down extinction threats using “corridors” to connect one fragment of a forest to another: this can help existing population to interact with each other and also provides more space and allows them to adapt to climate change.

      • Bit of a run-on, wording it differently can fix it; Recently, however, there is a possible plan to slow down extinction threats which uses “corridors” to connect one fragment of a forest to another: this can help existing population to interact with each other and also provides more space and allows them to adapt to climate change.

Fragmented forests that have been connected using corridors have been shown to help populations survive 13 times as long as it would without the corridors.

      • Omitted word; Fragmented forests that have been connected using corridors have shown to help populations survive 13 times as long as it would without the corridors.

However, these forest corridors should not be the permanent plan to help solve deforestation and to stop extinction; instead, it should be used as a way to slow down the rates, and provide a temporary solution to a big problem, providing time for more permanent and better solutions to take place.

Corridors in the Forest

Ecologist Thomas Lovejoy conducted an experiment in the 1980s where he asked loggers, who were cutting down trees in the Brazil’s Amazon rain forest, to leave small islands of forests to observe how animals situated in them to see how they would survive. Unfortunately, even the largest “forest island” of 250 acres had the number of bird species decline by half the population in 15 years, meaning that other animals in smaller areas would die off due to lack of population and disease. Recently, however, there is a possible plan to slow down extinction threats using “corridors” to connect one fragment of a forest to another: this can help existing population to interact with each other and also provides more space and allows them to adapt to climate change. Fragmented forests that have been connected using corridors have been shown to help populations survive 13 times as long as it would without the corridors. However, these forest corridors should not be the permanent plan to help solve deforestation and to stop extinction; instead, it should be used as a way to slow down the rates, and provide a temporary solution to a big problem, providing time for more permanent and better solutions to take place.


Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/climate/rain-forest-corridors-species-habitats-extinctions.html

Corridors in the Forest

Ecologist Thomas Lovejoy conducted an experiment in the 1980s where he asked loggers, who were cutting down trees in the Brazil’s Amazon rain forest, to leave small islands of forests to observe how animals situated in them to see how they would survive. Unfortunately, even the largest “forest island” of 250 acres had the number of bird species decline in half in 15 years, meaning that other animals in smaller areas would die off due to lack of population and disease. Recently, however, there is a possible plan to slow down extinction threats which uses “corridors” to connect one fragment of a forest to another: this can help existing population to interact with each other and also provides more space and allows them to adapt to climate change. Fragmented forests that have been connected using corridors have shown to help populations survive 13 times as long as it would without the corridors. However, these forest corridors should not be the permanent plan to help solve deforestation and to stop extinction; instead, it should be used as a way to slow down the rates, and provide a temporary solution to a big problem, providing time for more permanent and better solutions to take place.



Encoding Information into DNA

      • Chose a more relevant title; “We need more space!” They Said

DNA stores genetic information, which encodes for protein synthesis, hormone secretion, cell activity, excretion, and everything else imaginable; it is the blueprint of human bodies.

      • Avoid using “our” and “you”; DNA stores our genetic information, which encodes for protein synthesis, hormone secretion, cell activity, excretion, and everything else you can think of; it is the blueprint of our bodies.

Recently, the famous motion picture of a galloping horse filmed in 1878 by Eadweard Muybridge was encoded in the DNA of a living cell.

Dr. George Church, a geneticist at Harvard, and Seth Shipman, a geneticist as well, assigned each black-and-white pixel to a DNA code for each shade of gray using only four molecules: adenosine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine.

The implications are endless, with one being that we can observe individual cells and the neurons of the brain.

Many people underestimate how much data DNA can store in a small space; DNA will never become obsolete like floppy disks and ancient flash drives because it has been here for quite some time and information from them can be retrieved even if it was made millions of years ago.

Although this may seem like a small and slow step, it’s important to remember that recently, in addition to the high expenses, people thought it would take years to sequence the genome.

      • Instead of ordering the reader to do something, state it like a fact, don’t just tack the expenses part to it at the end of the sentence; Although this may seem like a small and slow step, remember recently that people thought it would take years to sequence the genome in addition to the expenses.


Encoding Information into DNA

DNA stores genetic information, which encodes for protein synthesis, hormone secretion, cell activity, excretion, and everything else imaginable; it is the blueprint of human bodies. Recently, the famous motion picture of a galloping horse filmed in 1878 by Eadweard Muybridge was encoded in the DNA of a living cell. Dr. George Church, a geneticist at Harvard, and Seth Shipman, a geneticist as well, assigned each black-and-white pixel to a DNA code for each shade of gray using only four molecules: adenosine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. The implications are endless, with one being that we can observe individual cells and the neurons of the brain. Many people underestimate how much data DNA can store in a small space; DNA will never become obsolete like floppy disks and ancient flash drives because it has been here for quite some time and information from them can be retrieved even if it was made millions of years ago. Although this may seem like a small and slow step, it’s important to remember that recently, in addition to the high expenses, people thought it would take years to sequence the genome.


“We need more space!” They Said


DNA stores our genetic information, which encodes for protein synthesis, hormone secretion, cell activity, excretion, and everything else you can think of; it is the blueprint of our bodies. Recently, the famous motion picture of a galloping horse filmed in 1878 by Eadweard Muybridge was encoded in the DNA of a living cell. Dr. George Church, a geneticist at Harvard, and Seth Shipman, a geneticist as well, assigned each black-and-white pixel to a DNA code for each shade of gray using only four molecules: adenosine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. The implications are endless, with one being that we can observe individual cells and the neurons of the brain. Many people underestimate how much data DNA can store in a small space; DNA will never become obsolete like floppy disks and ancient flash drives because it has been here for quite some time and information from them can be retrieved even if it was made millions of years ago. Although this may seem like a small and slow step, remember recently that people thought it would take years to sequence the genome in addition to the expenses.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/science/film-clip-stored-in-dna.html?ribbon-ad-idx=4&rref=science&module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Science&action=swipe&region=FixedRight&pgtype=article




Iceberg Sets Sail

      • Use active voice in your title; The Iceberg is Setting Sail

In early July, an iceberg more than 200 meters thick broke away from a region known as the Larsen C Shelf.

      • Reorder your words; In early July, a more than 200-meter-thick iceberg broke away from a region known as the Larsen C Shelf.

Scientists expected this roughly 6,000 square kilometer iceberg, which is about the size of Wales, to break away after observing the development of a large crack in the ice shelf.

In past years, there have been many reports of encounters with such big icebergs, one of which was said to be around 32,000 square kilometers large by the US Navy, but was never verified.

These events, however, are a natural behavior of the ice shelves, as they like to maintain equilibrium from the accumulation of snow and the buildup of ice.

Two other ice shelves, known as Larsen A and Larsen B, are smaller, and its signs do not seem to appear in the case of Larsen C, such as the thinning of the ice shelves and the large volume of surface meltwater.

As of now, researchers and scientists still have much to learn and are currently studying the properties of the Joerg suture zone to find out what caused the iceberg to break away.

Iceberg Sets Sail

In early July, an iceberg more than 200 meters thick broke away from a region known as the Larsen C Shelf. Scientists expected this roughly 6,000 square kilometer iceberg, which is about the size of Wales, to break away after observing the development of a large crack in the ice shelf. In past years, there have been many reports of encounters with such big icebergs, one of which was said to be around 32,000 square kilometers large by the US Navy, but was never verified. These events, however, are a natural behavior of the ice shelves, as they like to maintain equilibrium from the accumulation of snow and the buildup of ice. Two other ice shelves, known as Larsen A and Larsen B, are smaller, and its signs do not seem to appear in the case of Larsen C, such as the thinning of the ice shelves and the large volume of surface meltwater. As of now, researchers and scientists still have much to learn and are currently studying the properties of the Joerg suture zone to find out what caused the iceberg to break away.


Good work!

The Iceberg is Setting Sail


In early July, a more than 200-meter-thick iceberg broke away from a region known as the Larsen C Shelf. Scientists expected this roughly 6,000 square kilometer iceberg, which is about the size of Wales, to break away after observing the development of a large crack in the ice shelf. In past years, there have been many reports of encounters with such big icebergs, one of which was said to be around 32,000 square kilometers large by the US Navy, but was never verified. These events, however, are a natural behavior of the ice shelves, as they like to maintain equilibrium from the accumulation of snow and the buildup of ice. Two other ice shelves, known as Larsen A and Larsen B, are smaller, and its signs do not seem to appear in the case of Larsen C, such as the thinning of the ice shelves and the large volume of surface meltwater. As of now, researchers and scientists still have much to learn and are currently studying the properties of the Joerg suture zone to find out what caused the iceberg to break away.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40321674




A Bright Future with Our Sun

The sun is a vital part of our lives, and studying it has brought many revelations.

Though the sun may seem special at first, it is a “solar-type” star and functions like many other stars.

Many stars follow a cycle, which depend on luminosity, or the brightness of the star, and rotation, or how long it takes for a point on the star to circle completely around it.

      • I removed the part about the Rossby number because you never mention the Rossby numbers again; Many stars follow a cycle, which depend on luminosity, the brightness of the star, and rotation, how long it takes for a point on the star to circle completely around it; together, the two make up the star’s Rossby number.

Our sun has an eleven-year cycle during which the magnetic poles flip.

      • Remove this sentence and put it elsewhere; The solar minimum is when activity is low and the solar maximum is when activity is high.

Learning about the sun’s cycle can help us predict its activity and the effect it has on the earth.

Part of the sun’s cycle involves solar minimums and solar maximums, which dictates the activity on the sun; during the solar maximum, a time for high activity, the surface is covered with sunspots.

      • Added in the sentence I removed; During the solar maximum, the surface is covered with sunspots.

These sunspots are dark and are phenomena that can erupt to affect satellites and even power grids on Earth.

Although much has yet to have been discovered, the future is looking bright.

A Bright Future with Our Sun

The sun is a vital part of our lives, and studying it has brought many revelations. Though the sun may seem special at first, it is a “solar-type” star and functions like many other stars. Many stars follow a cycle, which depend on luminosity, or the brightness of the star, and rotation, or how long it takes for a point on the star to circle completely around it. Our sun has an eleven-year cycle during which the magnetic poles flip. Learning about the sun’s cycle can help us predict its activity and the effect it has on the earth. Part of the sun’s cycle involves solar minimums and solar maximums, which dictates the activity on the sun; during the solar maximum, a time for high activity, the surface is covered with sunspots. These sunspots are dark and are phenomena that can erupt to affect satellites and even power grids on Earth. Although much has yet to have been discovered, the future is looking bright.



A Bright Future with Our Sun


The sun is a vital part of our lives, and studying it has brought many revelations. Though the sun may seem special at first, it is a “solar-type” star and functions like many other stars. Many stars follow a cycle, which depend on luminosity, the brightness of the star, and rotation, how long it takes for a point on the star to circle completely around it; together, the two make up the star’s Rossby number. Our sun has an eleven-year cycle during which the magnetic poles flip. The solar minimum is when activity is low and the solar maximum is when activity is high. Learning about the sun’s cycle can help us predict its activity and the effect it has on the earth. During the solar maximum, the surface is covered with sunspots. These sunspots are dark and are phenomena that can erupt to affect satellites and even power grids on Earth. Although much has yet to have been discovered, the future is looking bright.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/14/science/sun-cycles-solar-maximum-minimum-corona.html



Problem: Plastic, Cause: Human


1. Plastic has been a problem in the oceans for a long time, but lately, it has gotten worse.

2. Captain Charles Moore is the founder of a non-profit organization, Algalita Marine Research, and he and his team have been searching for “garbage patches.”

3. These large accumulations of debris have been documented in the North Pacific, but are now found in the South Pacific, Arctic, and Mediterranean.

4. Captain Moore transports groups of scientists to places where garbage patches are located.

5. By studying these areas, they hope to learn more about how it affects marine life.

      • Combine sentences 4 and 5

6. Lanternfish, which are an essential part of many animals’ diets, are ingesting plastic, and this may trigger a domino effect all the way to the top of the food chain.

7. Christiana Boerger, a marine biologist in the US Navy, said that the plastic problem is “out of sight, out of mind.”

      • Not a really important fact in sentence 7)

8. She’s also reported seeing many species of fish that have “more man-made plastic stomach than their natural food.”

      • You have established the fact that they are ingesting plastic, don't beat a dead horse : )

9. The surface of the problem seems to be the waste in the ocean, but the roots of the problem lead to humans.

Here is the reformed paragraph, read it write down the corrections and learn from them : ) Problem: Plastic, Cause: Human Plastic has been a problem in the oceans for a long time, but lately, it has gotten worse. Captain Charles Moore is the founder of a non-profit organization, Algalita Marine Research, and he and his team have been searching for “garbage patches.” These large accumulations of debris have been documented in the North Pacific, but are now found in the South Pacific, Arctic, and Mediterranean. Captain Moore transports groups of scientists to these patches are located where they study the debris and hope to learn more about how it affects marine life. Lanternfish, which are an essential part of many animals’ diets, are ingesting plastic, and this may trigger a domino effect all the way to the top of the food chain. The surface of the problem seems to be the waste accumulating in the ocean, but the roots of the problem lead to us, humans.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40584629



NASA to the Sun


The exploration of the Sun announced by NASA is a big step into understanding the star of our solar system and helps to learn how to improve equipment for further space exploration.

      • What equipment? Equipment that will be used to continue and further space exploration.; The exploration of the Sun announced by NASA is a big step into understanding the star of our solar system and helps to learn how to improve equipment.

The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe, named after an astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who helped discover the phenomenon about the sun and developed theories too.

      • The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe, named after an astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who helped discover phenomena about the sun and developed theories too.


The probe will travel into the Corona, or outer layer of the Sun, and will be exposed to extreme temperatures. If this succeeds, scientists will be able to observe the surface of the Sun closely.


      • Do not capitalize the words sun and moon... except when those names appear in a context in which other (capitalized) celestial bodies are mentioned; The probe will travel into the Corona, or outer layer of the Sun, and will be exposed to extreme temperatures. If this succeeds, scientists will be able to observe the surface of the Sun closely.

Observing the Sun up-close and personal helps scientists understand things about gases and magnetic fields at high temperatures rather than making similar simulations on Earth.

      • Do not capitalize the words sun and moon

This mission will also help expand knowledge on space weather and how the Sun gets radiations to build up that can potentially interfere with satellites and penetrate Earth’s protective shield.

      • Radiation is not countable as it is being used, so do not use "s"; This mission will also help expand knowledge on space weather and how the Sun gets radiations to build up that can potentially interfere with satellites and penetrate Earth’s protective shield.


The high temperatures are a big obstacle and hopefully, the Parker Solar Probe will be able to stand the heat.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/05/31/nasa-announces-historic-mission-send-probe-touch-sun-live/



Colossal Giants in the Ocean


Whales are the largest animals in the world to have ever existed and it took millions of years to get that way.

      • Rhetorical questions in writing mostly annoys readers, don't write questions in any form of writing unless it is necessary for the purpose of the writing; Whales are the largest animals in the world to have ever existed, but how did they become so big?


They’ve become huge very recently – only within the past 4.5 million years – due to climate change.

Whales started as land mammals, but over some millions of years, they adapted to their environment, developed fins, and soon, relatively speaking in evolutionary terms, were marine mammals.

      • Be a bit more descriptive: relatively speaking in evolutionary terms, b/c soon is not a few million years, plus it's a bit humorous.


They also learned how to filter-feed, which allows them to consume large amounts of zooplankton and krill in one big gulp.

      • Not filer-feed, filter-feed

At the same time, runoff from glaciers and seasonal upwelling cycles brought nutrients, which allowed populations of zooplankton and krill to grow which essentially allowed whales to feed more and grow.

      • What does this sentence have to do with whales? Every sentence should have a connection to its main idea. So, you should combine the two sentences, just like on the SAT : )

- At the same time, runoff from glaciers and seasonal upwelling cycles brought nutrients, which allowed populations of zooplankton and krill to grow. -This essentially whales to feed on more prey and grow.

This just goes to show that evolution and adaptation is something to be worth noting over the course of millions of years.

      • Use "are" instead of "is"
      • Go back to the original source and check it for additional info to add to your article summary; multiple sources add improtant info and are more credible.

http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/284/1855/20170546

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/science/whales-evolution-oceans.html



Don't Sleep and Drive


Students in America are infamously known to sleep very late, pull all-nighters, and complain about their sleep schedules.

Not only does sleepiness diminish their well-being, but it also increases their chances of being at risk and injury, such as driving in the morning.

      • Not only... but also requires two nouns, or noun "Not only "this", but "that"; Not only does sleepiness diminish their well-being, but also increases their chances of being at risk and injury, such as driving in the morning.

One quarter of sixteen- to eighteen-year-olds reported that they have driven while being very sleepy, and had a hard time their eyes open.

      • Since you used "to", you do not need a hyphen. Between "time" and "Their" you need a verb;One quarter of sixteen- to eighteen-year-olds reported that they have driven while being very sleepy, and had a hard time their eyes open.

Driving after sleeping for four to five hours puts you at the same risk as driving with a legal alcohol limit.

The reason why teens sleep later is because they don’t get sleepy until much later on in the night, and this is all because of biology.

Students also do better on tests and do well in classes given in the afternoon than in the morning.

It’s important that schools take into account the biological makeup of the average teenager and start acknowledging it.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/well/family/the-science-of-adolescent-sleep.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fwell&action=click&contentCollection=well&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=sectionfront